SUDBURY CANOE CLUB
Club News
River Stour - health group update
20 January 2026
Our River Stour has become so choked with excess reed and tree growth that in places it represents a danger to paddlers and other river users. River Stour Trust and Sudbury Canoe Club have launched a new joint campaign to restore the waterway.
An initial meeting was held with representatives from the Environment Agency, River Stour Trust, Sudbury Canoe Club and Sudbury Rowing Club and later with the Rangers and a Trustee for The Sudbury Common Lands and the ecologist Keith.
The River Health Group is making good progress with a couple of work parties under its belt. We have started at the top end of the river and will extend our activities further downstream.
Before we do anything on the river, we have to liaise and get permissions from landowners and the Environment Agency as well as satisfy all the regulations for health and safety. We are fortunate to have an experienced ecologist as part of the team to supervise the environmental aspects.
Sudbury Canoe Club celebrates 30th anniversary
after receiving prestigious award
22 June 2025
Canoe enthusiasts are celebrating 30 years of paddling Sudbury’s waterways, after receiving a prestigious accolade as a result of their relocation to expanded premises.
Sudbury Canoe Club was presented with quality club accreditation from Paddle UK, the national paddle sports governing body, earlier this month.
The award, which is given to organisations that demonstrate best practices in how they are run, coincides with the 30th anniversary of the club’s foundation back in 1995.
It comes one month after Sudbury Canoe Club moved into its compound next to the River Stour, located opposite its previous base in Quay Lane.
Funded with the help of grants from three different sources, the new base will enable the club to increase its offering, with the capacity for more boats.
Club chairman Nikki McGenn said: “2025 has been a momentous year so far for Sudbury Canoe Club.
“We are celebrating 30 years since the club was started on the River Stour, by a small group for friends wanting to share their passion for paddling.
“As well as achieving the Paddle UK Quality Club award, we also moved into our very own compound in May.
“This was made possible as we were very lucky to receive grants from Sudbury Town Council, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council and the Suffolk Sports Grant Programme – funded through Suffolk Community Foundation.
“We are immensely grateful for these grants, as they have enabled the club to move into our new larger compound which, in turn, means we can purchase extra boats moving forward.”.
The club also received a bursary to train more coaches from Paddle UK.
“All of the funding we have been awarded will help us to get more people on to the water, which is fantastic,” said Nikki.
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A new compound for Sudbury Canoe Club
20 September 2025
After years of renting space from Sudbury Rowing Club, we are delighted to announce we now have our very own compound. Enormous thanks to Sudbury Town Council, Sudbury Community Fund and Babergh District Council for all helping us to fund this project with generous grants. We couldn’t have done this without their help.
Then there was an herculean collective effort by many of the club members to bring this finally to a reality. What a way to celebrate our 30th year!
​Here are a few photos of the compound during construction:​
Sudbury to the Sea canoe challenge sees amputees raise more than £10,000 for Steel Bones charity
16 September 2024
Steel Bones trustee Gary Hawksworth, with Sudbury Canoe Club chairman Nikki McGenn and lead fundraiser Scarlett Walker.
More than £10,000 has been raised to support amputees and their families, after a team completed a gruelling journey from Sudbury to the sea.
A total of 23 fund-raisers travelled more than 20 miles along the River Stour, from Sudbury to Cattawade, last Saturday as part of the Steel Bones Canoe Challenge.
Led by members of the Sudbury and Colchester canoe clubs, aided by the River Stour Trust, the Steel Bones participants were single or double-leg amputees.
They included Danny Smith, who had two amputations due to infections, and 14-year-old Scarlett Walker, whose right leg was amputated after a serious illness.
The pair had engaged in friendly competition to be the top fund-raiser for Steel Bones, a charity based in Bury St Edmunds, with Scarlett the eventual winner.
Charity trustee Gary Hawksworth, an amputee himself, said: “The event was a great success, with 23 participants completing the challenging journey along the river.
“One of the highlights was the friendly competition between Danny and Scarlett, both of whom have been neck-and-neck in their fund-raising, making the battle for the top spot especially exciting.
“Both Danny and Scarlett successfully completed the event, with Scarlett showing incredible determination and strength throughout.
“The Sudbury and Colchester canoe clubs were instrumental in the smooth running of the event. Their on-water support was outstanding, helping to guide and assist the participants.
“We also had incredible assistance from our Steel Bones volunteers, who worked tirelessly to help amputees and move canoes over portages, ensuring everyone could complete the challenge.
“The event also brought an amazing sense of achievement to all participants – many of whom have only recently undergone amputations and are still receiving medical treatment.
“Despite the physical demands, everyone who completed the challenge felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, even though they were understandably tired.”
Clare Symes, of Sudbury Canoe Club, added: “We did not realise what a mammoth task the organisation would be, but the emotional farewell thanks we got from the Steel Bones participants made the hard work worthwhile.”